Nominator: Ivan Mirkovski

Nominator's statement

I have had the opportunity to follow Angela Banchotova’s professional and academic trajectory since 2016. During her studies (2016–2022), she distinguished herself as the top student in her class, demonstrating a remarkable capacity for both architectural theory and complex practical application. Her early involvement in major projects, both within the university and in broader professional contexts, set a high benchmark for excellence and dedication.

Angela’s work is characterized by a rare combination of technical sharpness and rigorous precision, seamlessly integrated with a sophisticated graphic language. Her skill set extends beyond traditional architecture; her proficiency in architectural sketching and her keen eye for photography allow her to communicate design intent with exceptional clarity and depth.

Her journey at our studio, Superblock, began as a student internship. During this period, she demonstrated an impressive ability to adapt to a high-paced professional environment, leading to her well-deserved transition into a full-time position as a Junior Architect. This progression was a natural result of her work ethic, reliability, and the consistent quality of her output.

What truly sets Angela apart in the field is her perception of space and aesthetics, which is, in my view, unparalleled among her peers. She possesses a profound "architect-artist" sensibility—a rare virtue in the modern generation. This allows her to move beyond the purely functional, ensuring that every project is completed with a distinct aesthetic integrity.

Angela composes spaces with a level of insight and artistic maturity that makes her an invaluable asset to our team and the profession at large. I am truly happy to be able to nominate her and give her a wider perspective in her architectural journey.

FRAGMENTA- DIALOGUE OF SEQUENCES: CULTURAL CENTER OF ARTS - A PHENOMENOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE OF ART
Situated within a dense urban fabric in Skopje, N. Macedonia, and surrounded by a dense built environment of mixed-use character buildings, the Cultural Center of Arts emerges as a spatial manifesto of cultural evolution. Rooted in phenomenology, the project explores architecture as lived experience, where light, materiality, and movement shape the perception of art and community. The fragmented volumetric composition creates a porous presence, mediating between surrounding structures while forming intimate communal spaces.

At its core, the project expresses cultural growth through vertical articulation, with the main tower acting as a symbolic beacon of artistic development. The ground plane extends the city through a public plaza that encourages gathering and interaction. Brick materiality establishes continuity with the urban context, while perforations and glass elements introduce light, transparency, and visual connection.

The building becomes a framework for artistic production, fostering education, creativity, and collective cultural experience.

YOUTH CULTURAL CENTER “O” CONTEXT OF VISIONS: A FRAMEWORK FOR INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL EMERGENCE

The Youth Cultural Center in Skopje, N. Macedonia, is conceived as an architectural catalyst for intellectual growth, cultural awakening, and creative exchange among students and academics. Referencing the legacy of modernist and brutalist architecture, particularly the Goce Delčev Student Dormitory, the project
reinterprets brutalism through structural clarity, material honesty, and spatial openness.

Elevated concrete volumes define permanence and continuity, while transparent elements introduce accessibility and transformation. The open ground plane extends the public space, encouraging gathering, interaction, and cultural activity. Externalized circulation and cascading staircases become social platforms,
transforming movement into a shared spatial experience. Exposed concrete, glass, and wood create a balanced material dialogue between stability and openness. The building functions as a flexible framework for education, collaboration, and cultural production, supporting intellectual emergence and
collective growth.

CENTER OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN - CoAD - REACTIVATING INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE AS A PUBLIC PLATFORM

The Center of Architecture and Design is redefined through the adaptive reuse of a former tobacco production facility within the historic Tobacco Company complex in Skopje, N. Macedonia. Once a site of industrial production, the building is reimagined as a platform for intellectual, creative, and cultural exchange, reflecting a shift from material to knowledge production.

The project preserves the existing structural rhythm and architectural identity, embracing continuity rather than replacement. Subtle contemporary interventions refine the façade and improve accessibility while maintaining the industrial character. Internally, the building is reorganized to accommodate exhibition spaces, studios, research areas, and collaborative environments.

The Center serves as both an individual institution and a platform for cultural activation, fostering architectural discourse, education, and innovation while preserving the collective memory and heritage of the site.